1.4 The Similarity Engine

When Jago takes a tumble on an unseasonably icy road, he ends up in hospital. But this is no ordinary medical establishment, and the patients are suffering from no ordinary illnesses. At last, the fiendish scheme of Dr Tulp is drawing to its cataclysmic climax. The Similarity Engine is operational. And a new, improved model of mahogany murderers have been unleashed…

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Styre
on April 18, 2017 at 10:37 PM

JAGO & LITEFOOT: THE SIMILARITY ENGINE

The first Jago & Litefoot set comes to a close with Andy Lane’s “The Similarity Engine,” essentially a sequel to the Companion Chronicle (“The Mahogany Murderers”) that started the whole thing. The story feels a bit awkward in places because it suddenly feels the need after three stories to explain the backstory, so you have characters telling each other things they already know, but apart from that everything works well. I like how Dr. Tulp’s involvement in the other stories is explained here – it’s very much an RTD-style arc with small elements woven into a greater whole leading to an explosive season finale. Both leads are spectacular as usual – it’s continually impressive to see how steely Litefoot can be as well as to see the compassionate side of the blustery Jago. The ending is a bit weird, though – Jago saves the day by convincing Tulp’s henchmen that their boss is actually a jerk? And then Tulp turns into a giant tentacle monster? It feels odd, like there was a different, better ending we didn’t get to see. But it’s pulled off with such aplomb that it doesn’t ruin the story. Andy Lane knows the two leads like the back of his hand and his script reflects it. The sound design is effective, the direction skilled – this is a fine conclusion to a very strong set and it bodes well for the future. Knowing just how many of these there are to come, I worry about diminishing returns, but for now this series is a hit.